Contact Us

No Show Policy

We have a policy for missed appointments at all Women & Infants' physician practices. If you need to reschedule or cancel an appointment, please give us at least 24 hours notice. Learn More

Know the Facts

Heart disease is the leading cause of death for women in the United States. Although heart disease is sometimes thought of as a "man's disease," around the same number of women and men die each year of heart disease in the United States. Despite increases in awareness over the past decade, only fifty-four percent of women recognize that heart disease is their number one killer. Almost two-thirds (64 percent) of women who die suddenly of coronary heart disease have no previous symptoms.

Symptoms

While some women have no symptoms, others experience angina (dull, heavy to sharp chest pain or discomfort), pain in the neck/jaw/throat or pain in the upper abdomen or back. These may occur during rest, begin during physical activity, or be triggered by mental stress.

Women are more likely to describe chest pain that is sharp, burning and more frequently have pain in the neck, jaw, throat, abdomen or back.

Sometimes heart disease or cardiovascular disease may not be recognized until a woman experiences an event, such as a heart attack, congestive heart failure, arrhythmia or stroke.

Common indicators of cardiovascular disease include:

Heart Attack

Chest pain or discomfort.

Upper back pain.

Indigestion.

Heartburn.

Nausea/vomiting.

Extreme fatigue.

Upper body discomfort.

Shortness of breath.

Arrhythmia

Fluttering feelings in the chest (palpitations).

Heart Failure

Shortness of breath.

Fatigue.

Swelling of the feet/ankles/legs/abdomen.

Stroke

Sudden weakness.

Weakness.

Paralysis (inability to move).

Numbness of the face/arms/legs especially on one side of the body.

Other symptoms

Confusion.

Trouble speaking or understanding speech.

Difficulty seeing in one or both eyes.

Shortness of breath, dizziness.

Loss of balance or coordination.

Loss of consciousness.

Sudden and severe headache.

Risk Factors

High blood pressure, high cholesterol and smoking are key risk factors for heart disease. About half of Americans have at least one of these three risk factors. Several other medical conditions and lifestyle choices can also put people at a higher risk for heart disease, including:

Diabetes.

Significant or morbid obesity.

Metabolic syndrome.

Physical inactivity/sedentary lifestyle.

Excessive alcohol use.

Depression.

Screening

To reduce your chances of getting heart disease, it's important to:

Know your blood pressure. Having uncontrolled blood pressure can result in heart disease. High blood pressure may often be totally asymptomatic so it's important to have your blood pressure checked regularly.

Talk to your health care provider about whether you should be tested for diabetes. Diabetes raises your risk of heart disease.